Oil gas generator



Oct. 23, 1934. v. D. MmomELL` 1,978,054

OIL GAS GENERATOR Filed Aug. l 5. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 23, 1934- v. D. MCDONNELL OIL GAS GENERATOR Filed Aug. 5. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zvw/e272 or Z" Patented Oct. 23, 193i orion Vincent McDoell, iChica-ga Application im. 5, i332, Serial lilo., 627,593

mail.

'This invention relates to carburetors and particularly to devices for the production oi conibustible or explosive gases from liquid iuel.

The main object of my invention is to provide ii a simple inexpensive device whichfwill convert.

substantially without thermal loss, liquid fuels.

into hot gas adapted to operate internal combustion engines, or any gas consuming device; and iurther to provide a liquid fuel gas producer which lo is substantially automatic in action; to provide means iorstarting and maintaining the primary combustion; to provide means by which the heat energy used in the primary combustion converts water into available hydrogen and oxygen; to prois vide a compact structure from which the hot gases can be delivered direct from the outlet manifold to an internal combustion engine or gas burner; and to provide a small unit oi light weight as compared with its ability as a gas prof, ad ducer. y

in illustrative embodiment oi' this invention is shown in the drawings in which:

Figure i is a longitudinal section through the gas producer including the automatic lfuel supply.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 ol Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. My improved producer comprises a base casting l supported on legs 2, as shown in Figure 2. The base casting is cored to form a-water jacket 3,

3c having an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 to provide 'for the circulation of cooling water through said jacket. A float chamber 6 is connected by a conduit 7 with a fuel bowl 8, and float 9, hinged to a cover 10, is arranged to shut off the flow of liquid fuel automatically by covering the liquid fuel inlet 12.

A horizontal shaft 1'3 is symmetrically located with bearings 14 and 15 in the base casting 1. The projecting end of the shaft is provided with a stumng box 16.

Mounted on the inside end of the shaft 13 is a disk 17 which is secured to the shaft by a set screw 18 on the boss 19. A circular flange 20 on the disk 17 is externally threaded to engage one end of a right cylinder or drum 21 which extends substantially the entire length of the fuel bowl 8, with its axis concentric with the shaft. 'Ihe other end of the cylinder 21 slidably telescopes over, and is carried by the flanges 22 of a fixed circular disk 23 which is secured by bolts 24 to the adjacent wall of the fuel bowl 8.

symmetrically attached in spiral formation about the drum 21 are short, open nipples 25 which are secured flush with the inside of the 5 5 drum 21 and extend radially therefrom. In the (lClL. iK-75) space between the nipples 25 on the outside oi the it 21 is wound asbestos wick t f 26, which hllsI the space between the nipples.

il complete cover for the fuel bowl 8 is formed by the top casting 27 having a ange 28 by which 60 it is fastened to the base casting by bolts 29. Mounted in the top casting 27 is a water Vaporizing and superheating coil, 30, which is fastened into position at its inlet-end by a lock nut 3l. The outlet end of the coil connects with a cored @5 cavity 32, in the cover or top casting 27, which in turn has an outlet aperture 33 registering with an aperture 3i in the nxed circular disl: 23.

.d spark plug 3i is provided in the top casting 27 with .its inner terminals near the asbestos lll wiclring 26. An inlet manifold 35 admits air through multiple ports 36 into the primary cora bustion chamber 37. Control ol the an' supply to the inlet nilold 35 is provided by a suction valve 38 having a spring 39 which normally holds 75 the valve 33 in closed position. Outlet for the gases from the pr combustion chamber is provided by longitudinalports 40 communicating with the outlet manifold 41 on which is mounted a suitable pipe connector 42.

In operation, the oat chamber is provided with a supply of fuel oil and the oat is set to maintain a constant level of fuel oil in the fuel bowl. The cored cavity surrounding the fuel bowl is filled with water which is circulated by means not shown. The shaftis slowly rotated righthanded, as shown in Fig. 2, by a drive means not shown and the asbestos wicking dips into and Vbecomes saturated with the fuel oil. Ignition is started by operation of the spark plug. With low vapor tension fuels a shot of gasoline is sometimes required to start the ignition. As soon as combustion of the fuel begins, water in-limited quantities is supplied to the heating coil.

As heat is generated in the combustion chamber, the water supplied to the vaporizing coil 30 is vaporized and superheated, and these vapors are delivered from the coil to the cavity 32 and thence through the ports 33 and 34 to the inside of the rotating drum. From the interior of the drum, the superheated vapors are delivered to the combustion chamber through the multiple nipples be done, since it is a. function of the device to thoroughly mix the superheated water vapors with the productI of combustion of the fuel oil within the combustion chamber.

In the primary combustion chamber, the fuel delivered thereto by the drum is not entirely burned, as the amount of air introduced into the combustion chamber to promote combustion is regulated so that the fire is substantially smothered. The oil carried by the drum is, however, completely converted to gas, and the heat energy produced by combustion in the primary combustion chamber is suicient to cause dissociation of some of the superheated water vapor so that the gas mixture delivered through the outlet manifold is rich in hydrogen content and substantially stable.

The gas mixture which is drawn oi through the outlet manifold is delivered to any gas consuming device, s uch as an internal combustion engine which may be geared so as to rotate the drum shaft and provide constant gas generation. By control of the speed of rotation of the drum, it is possible to deliver fuel to the primary combustion chamber at a. predetermined rate and thereby control the amount of oil gas produced by the device.

The adjustment of the air control valve 38 will depend upon thetype of apparatus in which the gas produced by the device is to be consumed. In the case of an internal combustion engine where there is a definite suction on the manifold 41, the spring 39 of the air valve will have to be adjusted so that the correct amount of air is admitted into the primary combustion chamber for thel proper combustion of the gases therein. However, should the gases produced by the device be used in atmospheric burners, the spring 39 of the air valve will have to be adjusted so that the extent of valve opening can be controlled manually.

By my invention, I am able in a very small space to provide a. positive supply of uniformly distributed fuel into a primary combustion chamber and the energy produced in primary combustion is utilized in the dissociation of water, the gases formed by the dissociation of water being combined with the oil gases in the combustion chamber to form a combustible product. My improved compact form makes it possible to obtain high efficiency by the placement of the device so that the gaseous products are delivered directly to gas consuming devices.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that certain details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as described by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An oil gas producer comprising a fuel bowl.

a cover for said fuel bowl formed to provide a combustion chamber above and communicating with the same, a rotatable drum disposed between said fuel bowl and cover and arranged to extend into said fuel bowl and said combustion chamber, wicking arranged on the surface of said drum, means for vaporizing Water and introducing the gases therefrom into said combustion chamber, and means for igniting gases in said combustio chamber.

2. An oil gas producer comprising a fuel bowl, a. cover for said fuel bowl arranged to provide a combustion chamber above and communicating with the same, a horizontally disposed rotatable hollow drum arranged between said fuel bowl and cover and extending into said fuel bowl and said combustion chamber, wicking arranged on the outer surface of said drum, a water vaporizing and superheating coil disposed in said combustion chamber, means interconnecting said coil and the interior of said hollow drum, means on said drum arranged to permit communication between the interior thereof and said combustion chamber, and means for igniting gases in said combustion chamber.

3. In an oil gas producer unit, a primary combustion chamber, a water vaporizing and superheating coil in said combustion chamber, a fuel bowl disposed below said combustion chamber and communicating therewith, a rotatable horizontal shaft located between said combustion chamber andl said fuel bowl, a hollow drum mounted on said shaft, open nipples extending radially from said drum and arranged to provide communication between the interior thereof and said combustion chamber, wicking arranged on the outer surface of said drum, and a conduit connecting the outlet of said vaporizing and superheating coil with the inside of said drum.

4. An oil gas producer comprising a housing arranged to provide a combustion chamber and a fuel bowl in the lower portion of said combustion chamber adapted to hold a quantity of oil, a rotatable drum disposed in said combustion chamber and arranged to extend into said fuel bowl, means to ignite fuel carried on the surface of said drum, and means to introduce air and water vapors into said combustion chamber.

5. An oil gas producer comprising a housing arranged to provide a combustion chamber and a fuel bowl inthe lower portion of said combustion chamber adapted to hold a quantity of oil, a rotatable drumdisposed in said combustion chamber and arranged to extend into said fuel bowl, means to ignite fuel carried on the surface of said drum, Ameans to introduce air and water vapors into said combustion chamber, and means surrounding said fuel bowl forcooling oil held 

